Minn. Family Comes To Pittsburgh, Protests PNC Bank

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Protestors carried a door from a foreclosed home in Minneapolis through Market Square en route to PNC Bank headquarters.

“This is the front door of the Cruz family house in Minnesota. This was kicked in, or beaten in by sledge hammers at 4 o’clock in the morning raid — all because of a glitch on PNC’s behalf,” Jonathan Ramady, a local protestor told KDKA Money Editor Jon Delano.

The Cruz family says their home was foreclosed by PNC because the bank did not properly record an on-line payment – then added late fees.

“They started adding more charges and we couldn’t make the payment after all — we wanted to but it just didn’t enable us to,” said David Cruz.

Cruz and his sister Alejandra came to Pittsburgh to try to meet PNC officials in hopes of saving their parent’s home.

“We’re hoping for a meeting with someone who can help us fix this problem.”

Chanting, “Hey PNC, whadya say, how many homes did you steal today,” some members of the local Occupy Movement joined the Cruz’s as they marched to PNC on Fifth Avenue.

PNC corporate spokesman Fred Solomon greeted them.

“I’m going to take you inside. You and you, leave your signs. Come with me, please.”

But after an hour long meeting, the Cruz’s emerged, saying PNC would do nothing for them.

“We’re just another number for a bank. They don’t really care about people,” Alejandra Cruz said.

PNC’s Solomon about this foreclosure responded, “We don’t foreclose on anyone unless there is a history of nonpayment. I can’t discuss this customer. The fact is that PNC makes multiple attempts with customers.”

The bank denies doing anything wrong and says the Cruz’s would not give PNC permission to release their payment history.

The mortgage was originally issued by National City Bank, a bank PNC later purchased.

Right now, the home is in the possession of Freddie Mac — a government-sponsored agency that buys up mortgages — and PNC says they can do nothing to get the home back for the Cruz’s.